Daily Mass Gospel Reflection- The Healing Cross

Word on Fire Ministry ^ | 7.10.22 | Bishop Robert Barron

[MurphsLaw]

Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Luke 10:25–37

Friends, our Gospel today is one of the best-known of Jesus’ parables,
the story of the Good Samaritan.
Every story, parable, illustration, and exhortation is,
at the end of the day,
a picture of the Lord.

In one of the great windows of Chartres Cathedral, there is an intertwining of two stories,
the account of the fall of mankind and the parable of the Good Samaritan.
This reflects a connection that was made by the Church Fathers.
The Good Samaritan is a symbol of Jesus himself in his role as Savior of the world.

Now our task is to be other Christs.
“Which of these three was neighbor to the robbers’ victim?”
“The one who treated him with mercy.”
Jesus says to him, “Go and do likewise.”

We spend our lives now looking for those people stranded by the road, victimized by sin.
We don’t walk by, indifferent to them, but rather we do what Jesus did.
Even those who are our natural enemies, even those who frighten us.
And we bring the Church’s power to bear,
pouring in the oil and wine of compassion,
communicating the power of Christ’s cross.

[MurphsLaw]

+++There was a scholar of the law
who stood up to test Jesus and said,
"Teacher, what must I do to inherit
eternal life?"
Jesus said to him,
"What is written in the law?
How do you read it?"
He said in reply,
"You shall love the Lord, your God,
with all your heart,
with all your being,
with all your strength,
and with all your mind,
and your neighbor as yourself."
He replied to him, "You have
answered correctly;
do this and you will live."

But because he wished to justify
himself, he said to Jesus,
"And who is my neighbor?"
Jesus replied,
"A man fell victim to robbers
as he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho.
They stripped and beat him and went
off leaving him half-dead.
A priest happened to be going down
that road,
but when he saw him, he passed by on
the opposite side.
Likewise a Levite came to the place, and when he saw him, he passed by on
the opposite side.
But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him
was moved with compassion at the sight.
He approached the victim,
poured oil and wine over his wounds
and bandaged them.
Then he lifted him up on his own animal,
took him to an inn, and cared for him.
The next day he took out two silver
coins
and gave them to the innkeeper with

the instruction,
'Take care of him.
If you spend more than what I have
given you,
I shall repay you on my way back.'
Which of these three, in your opinion,
was neighbor to the robbers'
victim?"
He answered, "The one who treated
him with mercy."
Jesus said to him,
"Go and do likewise."+++